July 14
Breakfast, checked out and off to Palermo. drive in was ok but very busy in the city and some difficulty in finding a car park. Found a spot and decided to walk towards the port with a detour via the Botanic Gardens where we asked for directions. Gardens were very dry, lots of cactus and common AUS plants. We then walked down to The Grande Hotel de Palmes a wonderfully preserved hotel for refreshment. Then on to the fountain of the nymphs and the true centre of Palermo the Theatre of the Sun. Generally just a big city with lots of rubbish around. Found our way back to the car, we had parked near the main station but all was good. It was still there. Wound our way out of the city through lots of streets - thankfully the GPS showed us the way but her accent with some of the local via's is questionable. Good highway and tollway to Cefalu arriving around
3pm to the Rosebud of Sicily x 5. Enormous traffic congestion, no parking, thousands of umbrellas, and many thousand people in the water, on the beach and walking. Found the guesthouse with its private parking and met Valerio the owner who together with a visitor from Norway made us feel very welcome explaining what to see, where to go, and gave us a good tour of the facilities. So we went for a wander along the beachfront ending near the old city where we had a delicious hamburger chips and beer. Dinner was at a linked pizzeria The Gold Spider pizza choice was not great but table on the road gave us front seats for the entertainment - local music/dance troupe but nothing comes for free!
July 15
Spent the morning looking for a replacement power adaptor as we had left ours behind in Marsala and a new card for Norm's camera as the current one is full! Success for the tourists on both counts then down to the beach for a swim. Lunch of hotdogs and a beer followed by another swim. Out to dinner which was really good, of course - Ristorante il Normanno, pasta in squid ink, pork fillets, fettuccine with broad bean purée, caponata and a sea urchin sauce, fish involtini and a delicious small broad bean salad. Semifreddo for me while Michelle had the fresh seasonal fruits - a pear, orange, nectarines, a plum and some cherries plonked on a plate! Nice wander back to the hotel through the old town picking up a bright trinacria souvenir.
